Celebrating our achievements

Hi everyone,

Voices for Change has been thinking about the work the group has done over the past 18 months. We wanted to remind ourselves of all the work we have done. Here are some highlights from Voices for Change members’ public speaking and self-advocacy since the start of 2021.

• Public speaking at the State Government Disability Justice Operational Forum.
• Consultation on the Lawyers Empowering People project run by Fitzroy Legal Service, to improve the way lawyers work with clients.
• Consultation on the Just Voices project with the Centre for Innovative Justice at RMIT, to help improve the prison system.
• A submission to the Disability Royal Commission
• Speaking at a seminar on solitary confinement hosted by the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
• Being asked to speak at the Australian Progress Fellowship, and being called back for further speaking engagements with them, talking about self-advocacy
• Speaking at events run by the Self-Advocacy Resource Unit e.g. Self-Advocacy Month
• Making a presentation to the Fitzroy Legal Service Board
• Speaking to Victoria Legal Aid about lived experience of working with lawyers and going to court
• Meeting with Youth Justice staff to talk about the work of the group
• Helping new members connect with the group and get support
• Speaking to Magistrates’ Court staff via the Neighbourhood Justice Centre about our lived experience of the court system
• Volunteering with Victoria Police to help train senior sergeants, inspectors and new recruits.
• Organising social events e.g. Voices for Change members have organised and run a picnic in the park near the Melbourne Museum, and lunchtime catch ups near Fitzroy Legal Service
• Getting experience with:
  • interviewing and hiring staff
  • online tools like Zoom and Teams
  • chairing group meetings
  • voting on group decisions
  • making some budget decisions e.g. buying equipment for the group
  • being interviewed by researchers as part of an evaluation of the Voices for Change project.

We are still a small group but we have done so much. We are looking forward to growing our membership and doing more exciting work in 2023!